Tuesday, October 26, 2010

What is Marine Debris?

"Common items like fishing line, strapping bands and six-pack rings can hamper the mobility of marine animals. Once entangled, animals have trouble eating, breathing or swimming, all of which can have fatal results. Plastics take hundreds of years to break down and may continue to trap and kill animals year after year."


http://www.beachapedia.org/Marine_Debris




Monday, October 11, 2010

Shoreline Structures

Seawalls, groins, jetties and other shoreline stabilization structures have had tremendous impacts on our nation's beaches. Shoreline structures are built to alter the effects of ocean waves, currents and sand movement. They are usually built to "protect" buildings that were built on a beach that is losing sand. Sometimes they are built to redirect rivers and streams. Other times they are constructed to shelter boats in calm water. In many cases, seawalls, jetties, breakwaters and groins have caused down-coast erosion problems with associated costs that have greatly exceeded the construction cost of the structure.





http://beachapedia.org/Shoreline_Structures

Friday, October 8, 2010

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

First Flush

All this rain made us think about what happens to all the accumulated gunk from the dry summer when it's first washed down the drain and out to sea.

That's the First Flush.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Nearshore features animation

Cool animation provided by Earthguide at Scripps Inst. of Oceanography. Added to the definition of Nearshore: beachapedia.org/nearshore


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Wastewater Recycling

Joe Geever, Surfrider Foundation's California Policy Coordinator, recently interviewed Dawn Gundert, a water reclamation engineer who volunteers with the San Diego Chapter, to discuss wastewater recycling.



The interview is featured on the Beachapedia article of the same name beachapedia.org/Recycled_Water

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Beachapedia Media - Swash



Full Swash article at http://www.beachapedia.org/Swash

Beachapedia Media - Beach Dredge and Fill



Full Beach Dredge and Fill article at http://www.beachapedia.org/Beach_Fill

Beachapedia in Coast Magazine

http://www.coastmagazine.com/articles/blue-1368--.html

The Surfrider Foundation has always been known as an organization adept at harnessing the energy and passion of ocean-lovers worldwide. This was on bold display at the end of 2008 when Surfrider spearheaded the fight to stop the 241-Toll Road, organizing activist groups with a precision that seemed to catch the Transportation Corridor Agency off guard. Now Surfrider is turning to its 50,000-plus members to help build and maintain Beachapedia — a living document in the style of Wikipedia. Speaking on the site’s importance, Mark Rauscher, Surfrider’s assistant environmental director, says, “Beachapedia tries to capture decades of experience and knowledge gained by Surfrider Foundation activists, scientists and staff. By sharing this resource with the public, we hope to provide tools and information to help communities make a positive impact on their local beaches.” :: beachapedia.org

Surfrider Foundation Launches Beachapedia

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION LAUNCHES COASTAL KNOWLEDGE RESOURCE, “BEACHAPEDIA”



San Clemente, CA (August 3, 2010) – Surfrider Foundation is excited to announce the launch of its new online coastal science reference tool, Beachapedia.org. The new community-driven site will effectively catalog combined coastal science information taken from the Surfrider Foundation activist network and environmental experts.

Beachapedia aims to capture relevant and timely information related to the protection of our coastal resources using Wiki technology. With its constant influx of intelligence, Beachapedia will serve as a relevant and valuable tool for the general public, media and decision-making bodies.

Beachapedia will cover a vast assortment of topics related to the coastal environment, including articles on subjects ranging from coastal access to water quality testing to seawater desalination. Beachapedia also highlights daily coastal factoids and provides easy access to Surfrider Foundation blogs on topics such as offshore oil drilling.

“Decades of coastal activism and environmental research have facilitated Surfrider Foundation's success at protecting oceans, beaches and waves,” said Mark Rauscher, Surfrider Foundation’s Assistant Environmental Director, “Beachapedia strives to capture that knowledge.”

To access the website, visit www.beachapedia.org.



About Surfrider Foundation:

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. For more information on the Surfrider Foundation, go to www.surfrider.org.



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